This invention relates to an article of furniture for use as a sofa and for conversion into a bed, and more particularly the present invention relates to the use of bolster members constructed to form a back cushion for a sofa and to form part of a bed by an adjoined relation with the cushion of the sofa while supported by a trundle bed that is storable within an area defined within the frame of the sofa.
The concept of converting a sofa for use as a bed is known in the art. One well known arrangement of parts provides that a mattress member be folded on a hinged frame to achieve folding of the mattress on itself for storage in the lower part of the sofa frame. Cushions are placed on top of the folded mattress and frame structure to form seat surfaces for the sofa configuration. The weight of a conventional sofa-bed combination is generally excessive and cannot be conveniently disassembled for greater ease then transporting the assembly. Another disadvantage of the conventional sofa-bed combination is that it is expensive to manufacture and all parts do not have alternative functions which suggest less than optimal economy in the end of space. Lack of comfort is also an inherent characteristic of conventional sofa-bed combinations. Moreover, considerable effort is required to operate the hinged frame for the mattress for conversion into a bed. The amount of effort tends to increase as the frame rusts and/or original lubrication is displaced through normal use so that maintenance can become a factor. Also, sheer number of moving parts (ergo, connectors and/or connections between parts) dictates high probability of breakage and so, any propensity for "planned obsolescence" is easily implemented by cost-conscious manufacturers in this fiercly competitive and largely unregulated (in terms of design detailing and human engineering) industry. This is partly due to the basic design concept which dictates that the entire weight of the mattress must be raised above a front cross member of the sofa frame, moved over it and then lowered for proper positioning of the mattress above the front cross member of the sofa.